Written Answers Thursday 20 March 2008

Scottish Executive

2014 Commonwealth Games

Ian McKee (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider removing listed building status from the Royal Commonwealth Pool on the grounds that it is no longer fit for purpose as a venue for international swimming competitions, nor is it possible for it to be upgraded to be fit for that purpose.

Linda Fabiani: Listing is intended to identify a building’s special interest to inform the management of future change such as this. A listing is only removed from a building when it fails to meet the criteria as a building of special architectural or historic interest. The Royal Commonwealth Pool is a streamlined modernist design of international renown, winner of three awards, designed by RMJM, and erected 1967-70. Its innovative planning greatly reduced the normal problems of heat-loss, noise, condensation and glare. It was carefully designed and landscaped for its park-side location. In Historic Scotland’s opinion the building meets the criteria for listing.

  The necessary planning and listed building consents for a fully workable scheme that complies with national swimming regulations are in place for the Royal Commonwealth Pool, passed by the council and Historic Scotland last year. There was no mention in the course of this of any problems in upgrading the facilities. The major works will allow for swimming, water-polo, synchronised swimming up to national standard and diving to international standard.

Access for People with Disabilities

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether legislation is needed to dissolve the Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland in order for it to be amalgamated with the Public Transport Users’ Committee.

Stewart Stevenson: The Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland was set up by statutory instrument. In order to dissolve the body a further instrument to revoke that instrument is required.

Alcohol Misuse

Bill Wilson (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of the recent conference held in Paisley at which various voluntary and public Renfrewshire agencies agreed a new addiction strategy and a joint alcohol policy and, in light of the rate of alcohol-related deaths in the west of Scotland, what steps will be taken to ensure that any new money available to tackle alcohol-related problems is targeted on the worst-affected areas.

Shona Robison: I am aware of the Changing Culture – the impact of alcohol in Renfrewshire conference and welcome the joint approach to developing local policy and strategy. It is through such partnership working, at a local level, that we will tackle alcohol misuse and alcohol-related harm.

  I have announced today that NHS specific funding for tackling alcohol misuse, is increasing from £10 million in 2007-08 to almost £25 million in 2008-09. This funding will be used to ensure access to early intervention, and downstream treatment services for those people for whom alcohol related harm is already a reality. The distribution formula for this funding is weighted for deprivation and other factors.

Defence

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which signatories of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty have replied to the letter from the First Minister and what the response has been in each case.

Bruce Crawford: We have received responses from the following states:

  Austria

  Belarus

  Cameroon

  Cuba

  Egypt

  Germany

  Grenada

  Guyana

  Indonesia

  Ireland

  Lesotho

  Mexico

  Norway

  Philippines

  Romania

  Senegal

  Slovak Republic

  Sweden

  United Arab Emirates

  The Vatican

  Ukraine

  Venezuela.

  In the spirit of open government we have written to these states informing them that we intend to publish their responses and asking whether they have any objections.

Dentistry

Alasdair Allan (Western Isles) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans are in place to help solve the shortage of dentists in the Western Isles.

Shona Robison: The responsibility for the overall provision of NHS dental services in the area rests with NHS Western Isles.

  To increase dental access NHS Western Isles are currently undertaking a property review of all board accommodation to link with the clinical strategy which is also under development. This will produce a vision for services for the population of Western Isles in the short-term. In the meantime, to increase dental access the board are looking urgently at the setting up of a number of temporary surgeries in Stornoway.

  In addition, a number of financial measures are in place to recruit and retain dentists in the NHS, including a remote areas allowance.

  We are also working to continue to increase the dental workforce in Scotland.

Enterprise

Andy Kerr (East Kilbride) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been put in place to support the new responsibilities of local government to develop local enterprise.

Jim Mather: Details of the transfer of responsibility for delivery of the business gateway and local regeneration, including the associated funding resources, are under active discussion with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities. I expect this process to be concluded very shortly and intend that the details should be announced thereafter.

Enterprise

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is for the support and development of small craft businesses, such as those producing jewellery, ceramics, furniture, textiles and glass.

Jim Mather: The creative industries are identified as a key sector of the economy in the Government Economic Strategy, and the Scottish Government wishes to strengthen Scotland’s reputation as a source of contemporary crafts of the highest quality. Advice and support to enable small craft businesses to network, to represent Scotland at key events abroad and to receive advice and training in business development, is available through the activities of the Scottish Arts Council, the Cultural Enterprise Office, the Business Gateway and others. Work is in hand in the context of the establishment of Creative Scotland to improve further the support provided to the creative industries.

Ferry Services

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how discounted fares purchased from CalMac offices now compare with fares being charged under the road equivalent tariff pilot scheme.

Stewart Stevenson: The road equivalent tariff (RET) fares recommended by the RET study consultants on the pilot routes are set out below. The two tables are based on comparisons with the single equivalent for passengers and cars of a 2008 summer five day open return ticket and secondly a 2007-08 winter multi-journey ticket. The current commercial vehicle fares are based on CalMac’s published rates. Work is still underway to finalise the RET fares for the pilot routes.

  Single Equivalent Based on a Summer Five Day Open Return Ticket

  

 Route
 Passenger
 Car
 Commercial Vehicle*


Current £
RET £
Current £
RET £
Current £
RET £


 Oban-Coll/Tiree
 11.40
 7.97
 67.00
 40.83
 241.82
 149.79


 Oban-Castlebay/Lochboisdale
 18.75
 10.95
 68.50
 48.83
 323.83
 212.75


 Uig-Tarbert/Lochmaddy
 8.55
 4.92
 41.00
 22.52
 181.42
 85.26


 Ullapool-Stornoway
 13.25
 7.22
 63.50
 36.32
 257.56
 133.90



  Single Equivalent Based on a Winter Multi-Journey Tickets

  

 Route
 Passenger
 Car
 Commercial Vehicle*


Current £
RET £
Current £
RET £
Current £
RET £


 Oban-Coll/Tiree
 9.33
 7.97
 45.83
 40.83
 241.82
 149.79


 Oban-Castlebay/Lochboisdale
 15.17
 10.95
 48.83
 48.83
 323.83
 212.75


 Uig-Tarbert/Lochmaddy
 7.00
 4.92
 28.33
 22.52
 181.42
 85.26


 Ullapool-Stornoway
 10.83
 7.22
 44.33
 36.32
 257.56
 133.90



  Note: *Commercial Vehicle fares based on a 10 metre vehicle and prices include VAT at standard rate.

Fire Service

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many attacks on fire service personnel were recorded in the South of Scotland region in the last two years for which the information is available, broken down by brigade.

Fergus Ewing: The information requested on assaults on Fire Service personnel is given in Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Fire Services for Scotland annual reports published by the Scottish Executive in January 2004; December 2004; October 2005 and December 2006, November 2007 copies of which are available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. numbers 30472, 34686, 38132, 41202 and 44156). The inspectorate only began compiling figures for attacks on personnel in 2002-03.

  The police recorded crime statistics collected centrally are based on an aggregate return at local authority level, and do not distinguish the circumstances of the crime, such as the occupation of the victim. Following the introduction of the Emergency Workers (Scotland) Act in 2005, a new crime code (Minor Assault of an Emergency Worker) was created. However, the figures cannot be broken down by category of worker.

Health

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the composition is of the Health Inequalities Task Force.

Shona Robison: The Ministerial Task Force on Health Inequalities is chaired by Shona Robison MSP, Minister for Public Health. The membership of the group comprises the following ministers:

  Fergus Ewing MSP - Minister for Community Safety

  Adam Ingram MSP - Minister for Children and Early Years

  Maureen Watt MSP - Minister for Schools and Skills

  Stewart Maxwell MSP - Minister for Communities and Sport

  Jim Mather MSP - Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism

  Mike Russell MSP - Minister for Environment

  The group also includes the Chief Medical Officer for Scotland, The Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, the Glasgow Centre for Population Health, NHS Lanarkshire and Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland.

Housing

David Whitton (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made in developing its housing policy.

Stewart Maxwell: In its discussion document, Firm Foundations , the Scottish Government outlined proposals for improving supply, quality and choice in housing. Almost 400 stakeholders responded to the proposals. Their comments are currently being analysed and will inform announcements on housing policy that the government will be making in the coming months.

Licensing

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the recommendation from Alcohol Focus Scotland and others that the National Licensing Forum should be re-established to provide both an overview of the effectiveness of licensing law and of its local implementation, whether it intends to re-establish the forum and, if so, when and what its role will be.

Kenny MacAskill: Alcohol licensing in Scotland is presently undergoing a transition to the system introduced by the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005. This will be completed on 1 September 2009, when the new licences under the 2005 act come into effect. Local licensing forums have already been established, and have a function to keep under review the operation of the legislation in their area. A number of national fora already exist at which licensing matters are discussed, including the Scottish Ministerial Advisory Committee on Alcohol Problems and the Alcohol Industry Partnership. We are not persuaded that there is a need for another forum at this stage.

Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what commitment it has given to implementing the independent regulatory review group’s recommenations or advice on the cost implications to business of implementing the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005.

Kenny MacAskill: The independent regulatory review group has not made any recommendations or offered advice on the cost implications of implementing the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005. Should it do so, ministers will consider any recommendations carefully before considering what action, if any, is appropriate.

NHS Boards

Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what legal requirements are placed on NHS boards in respect of the level of provision provided by them under co-ordinated support plans.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHS boards are legally responsible for planning and providing comprehensive care and treatment for residents in their area. In doing so they collaborate with others, including local authorities and voluntary sector organisations, to ensure that residents have access to the range of services required to meet assessed need.

  If the member would write to me in more specific terms, I would be very happy to investigate and to provide further information.

NHS Finance

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing on 22 February 2008 on the implementation of the NHS Scotland Resource Allocation Committee (NRAC) recommendations, which NHS boards presently (a) above the target allocation will receive smaller annual percentage increases and (b) below the target allocation will receive higher percentage increases, in the unified budget over the period until their NRAC target share is reached.

Nicola Sturgeon: All heath boards have received a standard increase of 3.15% in 2008-09. In addition, the Scottish Government has provided additional resources to those boards who are below both their current formula and NHSScotland Resource Allocation Committee (NRAC) target allocations in 2008-09 in advance of NRAC’s implementation in 2009-10. These boards are NHS Lothian, NHS Fife, NHS Forth Valley, NHS Grampian, NHS Lanarkshire and NHS Orkney. The average increase is 3.3%.

  For future years the exact amounts received by each health board will depend on the overall funding available and their changing relative position when the formula is calculated. Uplift levels, including parity uplifts, will be considered and announced each financial year in line with the parliamentary process and taking into account funding earmarked for Scottish health priorities within the overall Scottish Government financial settlement. This reflects the practice established under the previous SHARE and Arbuthnott formulae. It means that each health board will receive a standard uplift each year to meet inflationary pressures whilst those boards whose actual funding remains below their target level, as indicated by the NRAC formula, would receive an additional parity uplift from within the remaining resources available.

NHS Staff

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many attacks on NHS staff were recorded in the South of Scotland region in the last two years for which the information is available, broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government does not hold information centrally on attacks on NHS staff.

  We do know that violence against staff is a major concern. The 2006 NHS Staff Survey reports that 28% of respondents have personally experienced a violent or aggressive incident. Paramedics and nurses are the most likely staff groups to experience an incident.

  We are currently considering ways of standardising data collection, in order to collect more robust national data. The Occupational Health and Safety Services Policy Advisory Group is in the process of establishing a sub-group to look specifically at reviewing the Occupational Health Minimum Dataset, which will consider, as part of its remit, appropriate statistical data collection on violent assaults on staff.

NHS Waiting Times

Bashir Ahmad (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken to reduce the waiting times for male circumcision procedures.

Nicola Sturgeon: Many male patients awaiting circumcision previously experienced lengthy waits because their treatment was considered to be of low clinical priority and they were therefore excluded from waiting time targets. These hidden waiting lists were abolished on 1 January 2008. From that date any patient placed on a waiting list is treated within the national maximum waiting time, after subtracting any periods of unavailability. There is no category of low clinical priority.

  Consequently, no patient awaiting a circumcision procedure should wait longer than 18 weeks to be seen at out-patients, or a further 18 weeks for their operation. I have already announced that as a milestone towards delivery of our ambitious 18 weeks whole journey waiting time target, these maximum waiting times will both reduce to 15 weeks by the end of March 2009.

National Health Service

Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are being put in place to ensure that NHS patients’ health records are not at risk of being lost or stolen.

Shona Robison: The NHS treats the confidentiality of patient records very seriously.

  A comprehensive set of policies and guidance for NHS boards on IT security was issued in 2006. This includes risks relating to patient’s health records. Progress on this was recently reviewed following the loss of child benefit data by HM Revenue and Customs across the NHS in Scotland. One of the key findings of this review was the importance of staff training and awareness. NHS Education for Scotland and NHS National Services Scotland recently consulted on a staff training and educational framework to support NHS staff in this important area, and it will be launched later this year.

National Health Service

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in developing a system of accreditation for bowel screening colonoscopists and a programme of training to guarantee sufficient numbers of colonoscopists to enable the national roll-out of the bowel cancer screening programme.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Education Scotland (NES) was commissioned in March 2006 to develop a national programme to support the education and training of health care professionals undertaking endoscopy. The estimates of numbers required were 150 clinicians and 25 non-medical endoscopists to help increase endoscopy capacity as part of the preparation for roll-out of the bowel screening programme. Since 2006 NES have trained 171 clinicians and 31 non-medical endoscopists. NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NHS QIS) Clinical Standards for the Bowel Screening Programme were published in February 2007 for all aspects of the Programme, including colonoscopy. These can be accessed on the NHS QIS website.

Rail Services

Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will commit to funding a new railway station at Kintore as a first step to improving commuter rail services in the north east.

Stewart Stevenson: Our high level output specification (HLOS) sets out the Scottish ministers’ aspiration to improve the Aberdeen to Inverness Line between 2009 and 2014. In the context of that development, we will look carefully at the business case for a new station at Kintore. Consideration of the affordability of the HLOS is currently being taken forward between Transport Scotland and the Office of Rail Regulation, and this process is not expected to be complete until autumn of this year.

  In view of this ongoing work, it is not appropriate for me to comment on the funding of the proposed station at Kintore at this time.

Special Educational Needs

Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it monitors the provision of support for children with special needs in schools.

Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government monitors the provision of support for children with additional support needs through inspections of nursery, primary, secondary and special schools and local authorities carried out by HM Inspectorate of Education.

Teachers

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average salary is for primary school head teachers, broken down by local authority.

Maureen Watt: This information is not collated centrally. All head teacher posts are allocated a specific salary point on the common pay spine for both head teachers and deputes. Salaries for head teachers in all sectors of school education are determined on an individual basis in line with the responsibilities of the post.

Teachers

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average salary is for primary school deputy head teachers, broken down by local authority.

Maureen Watt: This information is not collated centrally. All depute head teacher posts are allocated a specific salary point on the common pay spine for both head teachers and deputes. Salaries for depute head teachers in all sectors of school education are determined on an individual basis in line with the responsibilities of the post.

Transport

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement to the Parliament by the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change on 5 March 2008, whether the Scottish Government’s financial contribution to the Waverley railway project will continue to be capped at £115 million at 2002 prices and, if not, whether any new cap will apply and, if so, at what level.

Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government’s financial contributions to the Waverley railway project will no longer continue to be capped at £115 million at 2002 prices but is now expected to be within the range given in my statement to the Parliament on 5 March 2008 less the £30 million funding contribution from the councils.

Transport

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement to the Parliament by the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change on 5 March 2008, what the range is at 2012 prices of the Scottish Government’s financial contribution to the Waverley railway project.

Stewart Stevenson: The range of the Scottish Government’s financial contributions to the Waverley railway project at 2012 prices will be as announced in my statement to the Parliament on 5 March 2008 less the contributions for the councils.

Transport

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement to the Parliament by the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change on 5 March 2008, what the expected contribution to the Waverley railway project is at 2012 prices from (a) Scottish Borders Council, (b) Midlothian Council, (c) City of Edinburgh Council, (d) Scottish Enterprise and (e) other developers.

Stewart Stevenson: As stated in the Parliament last week, the councils’ contribution will be £30 million. Exact details of each council’s contributions is a matter for the Waverley Railway Partnership to deliver.

Transport

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement to the Parliament by the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change on 5 March 2008, in what ways the non-profit distributing model selected for the procurement of the Waverley railway project differs from the Scottish Futures Trust proposals.

Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government is committed to introducing an alternative funding mechanism to the traditional costly "standard form" of PFI, in the Scottish Futures Trust (SFT). The SFT is still under development – the consultation period has just ended and account will need to be taken of the responses received to help inform the next stage of development. The final form that SFT will take will be set out in due course but we have made clear that it will follow the same "non-profit distributing" (NPD) approach which has been introduced for projects which would have followed the "standard PFI" approach in the past. An announcement on further SFT developments will be made when we are ready to inform the Parliament, as will further details of how the NPD approach will apply in the Waverley rail project.

Transport

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement to the Parliament by the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change on 5 March 2008, how much funding the proposed non-profit distributing vehicle will have to raise from the market, based on the current cost estimates, at 2012 prices.

Stewart Stevenson: As announced in my statement to the Parliament on 5 March 2008, the funding to be raised from the market based on the current cost estimates at 2012 prices is between £235 million and £290 million.

Transport

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement to the Parliament by the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change on 5 March 2008, when the Scottish Government will publish full details of the non-profit distributing vehicle proposed for the procurement of the Waverley railway project.

Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government is expected to publish full details of the non-profit distributing contract documents proposed for the procurement of the Waverley railway project after announcement of the preferred bidder/financial close.

Transport

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement to the Parliament by the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change on 5 March 2008, what element of the cost increase in the Waverley railway project estimates relates to "commitments that were made during the passage of the bill", broken down by individual commitment.

Stewart Stevenson: The element of the cost increase in the Waverley railway project estimate which relates to "commitments that were made during the passage of the Bill" are for the provision of a station at Stow and requirements of the Register of Undertakings.

Transport

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement to the Parliament by the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change on 5 March 2008, what element of the cost increase in the Waverley railway estimates relates to "other necessary technical requirements", broken down by individual requirement.

Stewart Stevenson: Announcing details of these cost increases would be inappropriate as their disclosure would prejudice future commercial negotiations.

Transport

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement to the Parliament by the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change on 5 March 2008, what element of the cost increase in the Waverley railway estimates relates to "the rise in land values in the Borders".

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement to the Parliament by the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change on 5 March 2008, what element of the cost increase in the Waverley railway estimates relates to factors other than "commitments that were made during the passage of the bill", "other necessary technical requirements" or "the rise in land values in the Borders", and what those factors are.

Stewart Stevenson: Announcing details of these cost increases would be inappropriate as their disclosure would prejudice future commercial negotiations.

Transport

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement to the Parliament by the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change on 5 March 2008, when the non-profit distributing vehicle proposed for procurement of the Waverley railway project will be formed.

Stewart Stevenson: The non-profit distributing vehicle proposed for procurement of the Waverley railway project will be formed at financial close.